Can anyone here shoot their compound lying on their belly like a snyper and hit what their aiming at? Didn't think so!
How many people here bowhunt out of their gun box blinds? How many could with a crossbow?
How many here can draw on a deer with their compound and have the deer stop before the opening , let down , and draw again without being detected? Not a problem with a crossbow is it?
Bowfanatic, this is an excellent example of how the two are different, however please let me explain now how they also are different and similar ok.
First, it is pretty well known that a crossbow has an effective range out to 40yd tops! probably in the real world of hunting 30yds is more like it. So given that information, I think it would be pretty hard to crawl your way up to within shooting range on a deer to make a kill shot don't you? Can be done but you must be a pretty skilled hunter if you ask me.
Next, with a crossbow you have only one shot. I know I have missed a deer before and killed it with a second shot. Dosen't happen often but it does happen. With a crossbow you get one chance and only one so you must be very sure of your shot and confident in your ability. Again a pretty skilled hunter no?
If you ask me I think that makes the two different as well but with the easy edge going to the compound bow shooter. you still have to track stalk and read sign the SAME way as you would a compound bow. If fact I think the hunting approach would be EXACTLY the same as a compound bow hunter. So you must be just as skilled to hunt with and be succsessful with a crossbow as with a compound maybe even better because your range is not as far and you only have one shot (huh? a skilled hunter with a crossbow...some of you would rather die than admit that.)
Now as far as similarities go it is obvious and irrefutable. They both have limbs that store energy, they both use a type of arrow and both use a string to propel it.
Then you can also say that both use some type of trigger mechanism. both use the same type of sight (and I have seen red dots on compounds too)
Now I know they are not the same but they are closer to a compound bow than a firearm. I don't care if there is a sepatate season but I do know that the firearm and or compound bow people who's season is shortened to make a separate one for crossbows will not be happy at all. So if you have to pick one, the logical season would be the archery season. And I can see no reason why the different types of bows can't all be used in the same season...none.